Reinforced ski boot and method of making the same



April 16, 1968 R. R, JOHNSON 3,377721 REINFORCED SKI BOOT AND METHOD OF'MAKING THE SAME Filed May 4, 196e v s sheets-sheet 1` April 16, 1968 R.R. JOHNSON REINFORCED SKI BOOT AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 4, 1966 l ,wr

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April 16, 1968 R. R. JOHNSON 3,377,721

REINFORCED SKI BOO'I1 AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME` Filed May 4, 1966 5Sheets-:Sheet E INVENTOR. /7/1 W70/YD JOHNSON BYMMW/ J maf;

United States Patent Oli-ice 3,377,721 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 3,377,721REINFORCED SK! BOOT AND METHH) 0F MAKING THE SAME Raymond R. Johnson,6457 S. 124th, Seattle, Wash. 93173 Filed May 4, 1966, Ser. No. 547,45914 Claims. (Cl. 36-2.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE A reinforced ski boot or the like isdisclosed, together with the method for reinforcing it. According to themethod, the boots are mounted over mandrels corresponding to the wearersfeet, having ankle portions thereon which occupy the foot accessopenings in the tops of the boots. These mandrels may be constituted bythe wearers feet themselves. In 'any event, cavities are formed betweenthe mandrels and the sides of the boots, which communicate with theambient outside surroundings of the boots, through ankle openings in thetops of the boots at =a level adjacent the yaforesaid ankle portions ofthe .mandrels A foarnable liquid resin compound is introduced into eachsuch cavity, through the ankle opening thereof, when the resin is in aviscous catalyzed, Ibut substantially uncured, foamed condition. Thesides of the boots are then compressed against `the mandrels, While thecavities are in communication with the outside surroundings of the bootsthrough the ankle openings, so that the foam cells are collapsed and theresin is formed into semi-rigid ankle-fitting plates as it cures.

This invention relates to ankle supportive ski boots, orthopedic shoesand the like, and in particular to a method for reinforcing the anklesupporting capacity 0f such shoes and boots, either at the time they'are manufactured or `at a subsequent time when the person using orwearing the shoes or boots may desire to add to or strengthen the anklesupporting capacity of the same.

There are essentially two forms of ski boots on the market today. Eachform has thick layers of leather or other stiff covering material whichform the side walls of the boots and which are buckled, laced orotherwise fastened together over the tops of the wearers feet to lendsupport and rigidity to his ankles during the skiing operation. One formhas essentially nomore than a single layer of this material lat each ofthe sides. The other form has a second layer in that high topped innershoes are inserted within the boots and secured to the bottom thereof sothat in effect each boot has hollow double walled side panels which areseamed shut along lthe sole and open along the top. The backs of theinner shoes may also be secured to the backs of the boots so that thepanels are separated from one another at the rear. But, in general, theboots and shoes are otherwise so loosely interconnected that while theyresist any tendency to collapse in the lateral direction, theynevertheless provide ample freedom of movement for the wearers toes and-ankles to enable him to wiggle his toes for warmth and comfort and tobend his legs forward at the instep for proper positioning of his bodyon the skis.

To a large extent, new 'boots of either construction provide goodsupport for the wearers ankles. However, this support rapidly diminishesas the boots are put to use. The covering materials with which the bootsare made are chosen for the fact that they impart stiffness and rigidityto the sides of the boots, yet are sufhciently flexible and stretchableto form comfortably over the outline of the wearers ank-les.Unfortunately, as time passes and as the materials are ilexed andstretched in use, they tend to soften and become more pliable andsupple, and

therefore yless capable of imparting stiffness to the boots.Ultimatelyand often about the same time as the boots seem well broken into the wearer-the materials afford so little ankle support that thewearer can easily experience a collapsed ankle on a sharp vturn or otherabrupt maneuver.

One object of the invention is to provide a means and technique wherebythe ankle supporting capacity of ski boots, orthopedic shoes and thelike can be reinforced. Another object is to provide a means andtechnique -for refurbishing the ankle supporting capacity of old or wornboots of this nature. A still further object is to reinforce the anklesupporting capacity of boots of this nature without detracting from thenecessary toe and instep characteristics which the boots must provideduring use. Still other objects include the provision of a technique forlining or packing the sides of the boots with Wedges or plates ofsemirigid plastic resin material which increase the stiffness andrigidity of the sides, without altering the toe and instepcharacteristics of the boots. They also include the provision of atechnique whereby the wedges or plates can be made to take on thecontour of the wearers ankles, and the process of forming the same canbe carried out quickly and easily with inexpensive equipment, and with aresin material that is readily obtainable and easily manipulated in thesteps involved. Still further objects will become apparent from thedescription of ythe invention which follows.

These objects are realized by a means and technique of my inventionwherein the wearers boots are mounted over a pair of mandrelscorresponding to his feet, and preferably over his feet themselves; andeither at this time or before, double-walled, open-topped cavities areformed between ythe man-drels and the sides of the boots and a foarnableliquid resin compound is introduced into each such cavity through itstop opening, and the sides of the boots are compressed against themandrels, i.e., the wearers feet, to collapse the foam cells and formthe resin into impressed semirigid ankle fitting plates as the resincures. The resin compound is in a viscous catalyzed, but substantiallyuncured foamed condition when introduced, and has considerable residualfoaming action so that the tendency to froth can be used in reaching therelatively inaccessible portions of the cavities. Polyurethane foam isbest suited to the operation, although other liquid resins which can befoamed in place at room temperature are also applicable. Examples of thelatter are those liquid epoxy and phenolic resins which can be foamedand spread controlla'oly from a container, preferably after they haveentered into the frothing stage.

ln the case of boots which are equipped with inner shoes, the shoesoperate with the boots to form cavities down the sides of the boots. Ifdesired, these cavities may be used for purposes of the reinforcingoperation. ln doing so, however, the resin is preferably introduced atpoints behind the toes of the boots and in a quantity suflicientlylimited to spread through the cavities without entering the toes whenthe sides of the boots are compressed.

In the case of boots which have no manufactured inner shoes, themandrels may define the cavities or some other form of inner shoe orinner liner may be interposed between the mandrels and the sides of theboots. The liners may or may not be incorporated into the nishedproduct. lf they are not incorporated into the boots, they must, ofcourse, be nonlaminable with the resin so that they can be parted fromthe boots after the resin has cured. My present practice is to use acomposite inner liner of two separable layers, the inner layer of whichacts as a parting medium, and the outer layer of which is laminable withthe resin so as to be incorporated into the finished boot.

Preferably, the inner liner should also function as a aant/21 D bleederfor the foam cells when the sides of the boots are compressed againstthe wearers feet. My present practice for this purpose is to use acomposite in which the outer layer is fibrous or coarsely textured andsufficiently porous to enable the foam cells to bleed upwardly over thesurface ofthe parting medium.

The operation may be expedited by spreading apart the Sides of eachboot, and blowing, tamping, or otherwise packing thc resin into thedepths of the cavities about the mandrel. In some instances, however,all such agitation is avoided until after the sides of the boots areunder compression.

It is advisable to use a parting film to mask the fastener means alongthe top of each boot.

In a practical application of this concept I use polyurethane foam andprepare the same shortly before inroducing it into the cavities. Thepreparation is ccmpounded with components and fillers adapted to producethe flexible or soit and resilient form of the cured foam. However, itwill be appreciated that the foam packing and compression steps tend tobreak down much of the foam, and that as a consequence the resin takeson a semirigid nature when cured.

My technique is illustrated for each type of boot in the accompanyingdrawings. In the drawings FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a typeof ski boot which is equipped with inner shoes, the boot having beenmasked and opened at the top for introduction of the resin compound;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view of the boot illustrating the manner in whichthe compound may be introduced by pouring;

FIGURE 3 is a part perspective view of the inner shoe of the boot,illustrating the manner in which it may be clamped shut during the resinpouring operation;

FGURE 4 is a top perspective view of the boot after the wearer hasinserted his foot and the Sides of the boot have been compressed againstit;

FIGURE 5 is a side perspective view of the finished boot with the sideof the same partly broken away to illustrate the semirigid resin platewhich is formed therein;

FIGURE 6 is an upright cross section through the ankle portion of thefinished boot in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a view of the type used in FIGURE 1 but relating instead toa boot which has no inner shoe and in which an inner wall for thecavities is formed, therefore, Iby other means, as shown;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 5 but relating in thiscase, to the boot of FlGURE 7.

In the drawings, the double-walled boot of FIGURES 1-6 is indicated byreference character 2. The boot has a heavy leather upper construction 4which is formed over and secured to a thick multilayer composition sole6 that is suitably adapted to be clamped or otherwise fastened to a ski(not shown). To facilitate putting on and removing the boot, the flanksor sides 8 of the same are separable along the instep so that they canIbe folded away from one another in the manner illustrated in FIG- URESl and 2. Inside of the boot is a high topped inner shoe 10 which is alsoconstructed from leather or similar p'iable material. As with the boot,the flanks or walls 12 of the shoe are also separable along the instepto admit the wearers foot.

In FIGURE 4, the wearer has inserted his foot and a lacing or binding 14has been used between fastener means on the flanks of the shoe and bootto lash first the shoe and then the boot over his instep. Typically theshoe fasteners take the form of riveted leather loops 16, whereas theboot fasteners are in the form of short metal hooks 18. Of course, othermeans such as buckles may be used. It is my present practice to stretcha strip of polyethylene parting film 2li over the fastener means of theinner shoe before beginning the operation. Two such strips can be seenin FIGURE l, and it will be noted that each is secured in place bylaying a companion strip of masking al tape 22 along the lower edge ofthe film to adhere it to the face of the flap.

It is also my present practice to enlarge or broaden the top opening ofeach cavity 24 before beginning the wedge or plate forming operation.This can be accomplished by applying a clamp 26 to the walls 12 of theinner shoe and a pair of spreader arms 28 to the sides 8 of the boot.For the sake of clarity, the clamp is indicated schematically inFIGURE 1. However, the jaws of the same can be seen in detail in FIGURE3. It will be noted that they are equipped with opposing platens 30 thatoperate to draw up the full length of the walls 12 to one another. Thespreader arms 28 are also seen only in part for the sake of clarity.

The tips are equipped with C clamps 32 for attaching the arms to thesides of the boot. In essence, any means can be used which serves thefunction of pinching the shoe and spreading and holding apart the sidesof the boot. Such a means might also serve to mask the fastener means onthe shoe.

Having masked the fastener means on the shoe and having laid open thetops of the cavities 24, the next step is to pack each of the cavitieswith a suitable resin. As indicated earlier, I prefer to use collapsedpolyurethane foam. At present, I prepare the foam from Arothane 8150Aand 815GB, a polyester and diisocyanate blend manufactured byArcher-Daniels-Midland Company of Minneapolis, Minn. The two componentsare intermixed in a container 33 and almost immediately, i.e. withinminutes after mixing, the mixture 34 is poured into each of the cavitiesin the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2. Under such conditions, the cremeformed in the container begins to froth and while it contains residualfoaming action, is applied to the boot. I nd that under suc-h conditionsthe resin is easily workable, that is, spreadable yet sufficiently tackyand viscous to remain cohesive and relatively nonowable so that I cancontrol its application. It has a tendency to spread in the cavities byslow gravity flow and by continued frothing, and to some extent willwork its way into the depths of the cavities. However, it is expeditiousto tamp or otherwise pack the foam into the cavities, as by using ashort rod or other plunger-like element (not shown) that can be insertedwell down between the walls of the same. Of course, no foam should betamped into the toe 36 of t le boot if it is desired to leave thisunoccupied.

The foanied condition of the resin 34 also enables the wearer to inserthis foot into the boot and to lace it about his foot in the manner ofFIGURE 4. Many of the foam cells are collapsed in the packing operation;however, the density of the resin remains sufficiently low that thewalls 12 of the shoe can be spread apart and opened at the flaps forinsertion of his foot. Preferably, he should put on his sock and takeall steps necessary to simulate the conditions under which he will wearthe boot. He should also lace up the boot with the same thought in mind.Because much of the volume of the cavities is taken up in the loss offoam cells, there is little internal pressure on his foot and littletendency for the resin to spread beyond the limits prescribed for it.There is, however, some tendency for the resin to swell the boot inlateral directions, and in order to collapse the foam into relativelythin wedges or plates 38 as seen in FIGURE 6, a pair of wide-facedclamps 40 are applied to the sides of the boot to impress the resin overthe contour of the wearers ankle. With the sides thus clamped about hisfoot, the wearer should remain in a standing position for approximatelytwenty minutes or more while the resin cures and hardens in thecavities. In this way the cured plates take on the contour of his ankleunder the same conditions in which he will wear the boot, that is, withthe full weight of his body supported on the same and with the boottightly fastened about it as in use. @nce the resin has hardened orsubstantially so, the boot can be removed and the parting liu 20 and anyexcess U4 of resin along the tops of the cavities clipped away tocomplete the operation.

As purchased on the market, the boot 42 seen in FIG- URES 7 and 8 has noinner shoe and it is desirable therefore to provide an inner liner forthe reinforcing operation. My present practice is to form the same froma polyethylene bag 44 and a 4heavy wool or cotton sock 46 over eachfoot. The wearer slides the bag and then the sock over his foot and theninserts the same into the boot. The spreader arms 2S are applied to thesides 48 of the boot and as the wearer leans slightly forward, the resin34 is poured into the cavities 5@ formed between the sock and the sides.The tongue 52 of the boot, which is also covered with a polyethylene bag5d, is then laid over the wearers instep and the two sides i8 are drawntogether and fastened by lacing 56, as seen in FIGURE 8. Undercompression from the sides d8, the resin moves freely through thecavities Sti and seeks out any voids which remain. It also penetratesthe sock 46 so that the sock is laminated to the cured resin 57 andlbecomes part of the finished boot. Preferably, the resin should beintroduced immediately after the two ingredients are brought together soas to afford the maximum residual foaming action, and the wearer shouldrock or otherwise shift his foot about in the boot to assist inspreading the resin through the cavities.

When the resin has cured so as to become substantially form-sustaining,the boot is unfastened, the tongue is pulled out to expose the sock, anda cut 58 is made down the instep of the sock to enable the wearer toremove his foot from the boot. The polyethylene bag lid is also removedand the exposed portion of the sock is trimmed away at a level even withthe top of the boot to complete the product. See FIGURE 7.

In most instances, l also place a loose packing (not shown) in the toeof the boot, or wrap the wearers foot in something of the same before heinserts it into the boot, and in fact before he inserts it in thepolyethylene bag 44, in order to maintain a clearance around his toesfor the time when the boots are put to use. The packing is, of course,removed with the bag.

The above described techniques and the products therefrom are onlyillustrative of my present practices. It will be appreciated, therefore,that many modifications and additions can be made in and to thesepractices without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the claims following.

I claim as my invention:

l. An ankle supportive ski boot or the like having a foot access openingin the top thereof, and a plate of semi-rigid collapsed-foam resinouscompound formed contiguously adjacent each side thereof over the regionof the ankle and in form-fitting contour in relation to such ankle, theupper surfaces of the plates being openly exposed to the ambient outsidesurroundings of the boot, at a level adjacent the foot access openingtherein.

2. An ankle-supportive ski boot or the like according to claim l whereinthe rcsinous compound is collapsed polyurethane foam.

3. An ankle-supportive ski boot according to claim 1 wherein the platesare interposed between the sides of the boot and an inner liner withinthe boot.

d. An ankle-supportive ski boot according to claim 3 wherein the innerliner takes the form of a sock which is laminated with the plates.

5. An ankle-supportive ski boot according to claim 3 wherein the innerliner takes the form of an inner shoe which is secured to the bottom ofthe boot.

6. A method of reinforcing ankle supportive ski boots and the like whichcomprises mounting the boots over mandrels corresponding to the wearersfeet, there being double-walled, open-topped cavities formed between themandrels and the sides of the boots, introducing into each such cavitythrough its top opening, a foamable liquid resin compound which is in aviscous catalyzed, but substantially uncured, foaming condition whenintroduced, and compressing the sides of the boots against the mandrelsto collapse the foam cells and form the resin into semirigid anklefitting plates as the resin cures, the boots being equipped with innershoes which operate to form the cavities with the sides of the boots,and the resin being introduced into the cavities at points behind thetoes or" the boots and in a quantity suiiiciently limited to spreadthrough the cavities without ente-ring the toes when the sides of theboots are compressed.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the resin is packed into thecavities before the mandrels are inserted into the boots.

F. A method of reinforcing ankle supportive ski boots and the like whichcomprises mounting the boots over mandrels corresponding to the wearersfeet, there being double-walled, open-topped cavities formed between themandrels and the sides of the boots, introducing into each such cavitythrough its top opening, a foamable liquid resin compound which is in aviscous catalyzed, but substantially uneured, foaming condition whenintroduced, and compressing the sides of the boots against the mandrelsto collapse the foam cells and form the resin into semirigid ankleiitting plates as the resin cures, there being inner liners interposedbetween the mandrels and the sides of the boots, to form the cavitieswith the sides of the boots, and the inner liners being nonlaminablewith the resin so that they can be parted from the boots after the resinhas cured.

9. The method according to claim 3 wherein the inner liners are acomposite of two separable layers, the inner layer of which acts as aparting medium, and the outer ayer of which is laminable with the resinso as to be incorporated into the nished boot.

iti. A method of reinforcing ankle supportive ski boots and the likehaving foot access openings in the tops thereof, comprising mounting theboots over mandrels corresponding to the wearers feet, having ankleportions thereon which occupy the access openings of the boots, therebeing cavities formed between the mandrels and the sides of the boots,which communicate with the ambient outside surroundings of the boots,through ankle openings in the tops of the boots at a level adjacent theaforesaid ankle portions of the mandrels, introducing into each suchcavity, a foamable liquid resin compound which is in a viscouscatalyzed, but substantially uncured, foamed condition when introduced,and compressing the sides of the boots against the mandrels, while thecavities are in communication with the outside surroundings of the bootsthrough the ankle openings7 so that the foam cells are collapsed and theresin is formed into semi-rigid ankle fitting plates as it cures.

ill. The method according to claimt it? wherein the resin compound isintroduced into the cavities through the ankle openings thereof,

i2.. The method according to claim l@ wherein inner liners or shoes areinterposed between the mandrels and the sides of the boots, to formopen-topped cavities with the sides of the boots.

i3. The method according to claim l0 wherein the boots are fastenedabout the mandrels to compress the sides of the boots against the same.

ld. The method according to claim. lil wherein the foamable resincompound is polyurethane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,237,319 3/l966 Hanson 36--2.53,239,952 3/1966 Lange et al. {i6- 2.5 3,325,920 6/1967 Werner et al.36-2.5

FOREiGN PATENTS 952,420 ll/ 1956 Germany.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

